Thursday, January 8, 2015

'I never really liked talking things out'

Like some mixed martial artists, the fighting nature is born out of wanting to overcome hardship that they grew up with. A father working long hours in construction and bartending and a mother overcoming breast cancer but still dealing with health problems means Vince Mosca is sticking with his family.

Mosca still lives in the same house he grew up in in the Hamilton part of Baltimore. "Not because I'm afraid to 'branch out and be on my own,' but more because it's always been us," he told me in a recent email conversation. Mosca graduated from Perry Hall High School and worked a series of odd jobs, including waiting tables, retail "and any other stupid job you could imagine for someone my age," he said.

Mosca's love of MMA also started like many others started, by watching the sport's first true rivalry between Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz. "I was just drawn to it," Mosca said. "I wanted to be like those guys. I watched pro wrestling and boxing like most kids did when I was younger too, but it always interested me."

MMA also gave Mosca an outlet for his anger. "I sure was an angry-ass kid though," he said. "From when I was little, all throughout high school, I never really liked talking things out, or walking away. I always felt that if there was a problem or that if someone was messing with me, fight them. That's usually what I did."

Fortunately Mosca started channeling his anger in more healthy ways in MMA, which also provided him a rude awakening when he signed up for his first Muay Thai class when he was 15. "I realized that I totally sucked and had no business fighting a trained adult, and I totally fell in love with it," Mosca said.

Mosca is also a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and trains under fellow Maryland fighter Rob Sullivan, who I've also profiled. Mosca currently sports a record of 1-1, and is coming off a unanimous decision loss in Aug. 2014.

"There's nothing 'pretty' about my style," he said. "When I punch, I'm punching to kill you. When I kick, I'm trying to cut through you. I'm fast for my size and can string together combinations well. I think I'm a tough out for anyone, especially when the fight is standing."

But the road to MMA hasn't always been easy, and Mosca recognizes that he still has areas where he can improve, particularly on the ground. "I've picked up a lot of bad habits in my earlier training, especially on the ground," he said. "Every single day I'm making improvements though. It's a process and that's pretty much what the amateurs are for, but I know I haven't performed to even a fraction of what I know I'm capable of - yet."

Mosca trains at Baltimore BJJ with Sullivan and others, and Mosca credits Sullivan for setting him on the right path in MMA.

"Rob Sullivan has been great for me," Mosca said. "He gave me a lot of confidence early on, and has taken a genuine interest in my path and how I do things while handling his own fight career. He's figured out what works for me - striking and on the ground - and drilled it into my head until it's become second nature."

"We butt head sometimes, but I idolize his work ethic and outlook on things," he added. "It got rough over the summer due to lack of MMA training partners, but interest is picking back up and it's awesome to see. I couldn't ask for a better group of dudes to train with between there and my friends at Method MMA in Bel Air."

Mosca has set his goals high in MMA, from winning the World Kickboxing Association's North American Kickboxing Championship in March to avenging his loss and winning a title belt in MMA later this year.

"If all goes well, I'd like to turn pro this upcoming fall," Mosca said. "I've yet to fully commit and make this my life, but I will. I'm nowhere near where I want to be yet, but I know what I'm capable of."

"I'm 21 years old," he said. "I feel like I'd be wasting my time completely if my goal wasn't to be one of the top fighters in the world at some point, which I 100 percent believe is going to happen."

About Me

I am a Maryland native with a passion for the sport of mixed martial arts. I want to share my passion with others and provide information on all the latest happenings as it relates to MMA in the state of Maryland. Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mmamaryland